Hill Dickinson Stadium occupies the site of Bramley-Moore Dock, a former commercial dock in the Vauxhall district of Liverpool. The ground is the new home of Premier League club Everton, replacing Goodison Park after more than a century of football at that site. Known during construction as Bramley-Moore Dock Stadium and later Everton Stadium, it was renamed Hill Dickinson Stadium for sponsorship reasons upon opening. On arrival, it became the eighth largest football stadium in England and the eleventh largest stadium in Britain.
Why Everton Left Goodison Park
Everton first played at Goodison Park in 1892. The ground was progressively updated over the decades, with the last major work being a new stand opened in August 1994 that brought the all-seater capacity to just over 39,000. The Taylor Report of 1990, which required all Football League grounds to become all-seater, had already cut a capacity that once peaked above 78,000. By 2007, then-CEO Keith Wyness disclosed that the club had spent £500,000 on steelwork repairs alone just to keep the ground safe, and warned it might fail safety inspections within a decade. The current Goodison capacity of 39,414 also lagged well behind nearby Anfield, which expanded to over 61,000.
A Long Road to Bramley-Moore Dock
Everton had been searching for a new ground since around 1996, when then-chairman Peter Johnson announced plans for a 60,000-seat stadium elsewhere. A site at King’s Dock was identified by 2001 for a 55,000-seat ground due around 2005, but funding difficulties ended those plans. In June 2006, the club entered talks with Knowsley Council and Tesco over a 55,000-seat stadium in Kirkby – expandable to over 60,000 – in what became known as The Kirkby Project. Everton put the proposal to a supporter ballot, which returned a 59% to 41% vote in favour. Opposition came from other local councils concerned about a large Tesco store within the development, and from fans who wanted the club to remain within Liverpool’s city boundaries. Central government rejected the scheme following a public inquiry, and Liverpool City Council subsequently convened further talks. Eventually, the Bramley-Moore Dock site was chosen, with plans for a mixed-use development around the stadium including shops, housing, sport facilities and other venues.
Events and Future Use
Hill Dickinson Stadium has already hosted the 2025 Rugby League Ashes and is scheduled to hold one game in the 2026 Nations Championship. It will also be a host venue for UEFA Euro 2028, giving the ground an international profile beyond domestic Premier League football.